Better Beware, You're In The Wolf's Lair
by TalkingToTulips
Summary: In the early 1300's, a village is gripped by the fear of a wolf that becomes a man. And in the middle of this bestial nightmare, a young girl called Caroline and a young man called Klaus fight for their love. AU, based on the story of Little Red Riding Hood and the 2011 film Red Riding Hood, as well as Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater


**Basically, I did an artwork poster thingy based on an imaginary fic which followed the same lines as Little Red Riding Hood and Red Riding Hood (which I finally watched today, and thoroughly enjoyed) with Caroline and Klaus. Then some people on Tumblr asked for an actual piece of writing revolving around the poster so I got inspired and wrote this one shot. **

**Please review and tell me it doesn't suck as much as I thought.**

* * *

They would meet at dusk after dinner, they had decided without exchanging one word. They had a system that would indicate whether Caroline could sneak out. At dinner with the rest of the village, Caroline would either scratch her nose or cough three times. The former indicated that she would meet him in the usual spot; the latter meant that tonight was not for them. Caroline sighed heavily and hid her silver dagger in her thick winter stockings before slipping out her family's hut and towards the edge of the village, wearing her black cloak to hide away from prying eyes. Her boots were heavy against the mud; the cold months were upon them. As was the one week of the year that reasonable people feared over all other. The week where the days were shorter and a werewolf bite was not just painful but infectious, according to legends, Caroline had never believed such a thing. You were born a wolf, you couldn't become one through exchange of blood.

She finally arrived at the cusp of the settlement as the sky turned orange and whistled one note into the air. Like the breeze nipping at her skin, he was suddenly there and holding her against his chest. She relaxed into the feel of his skin and closed her eyes lightly. Gathering her long blonde up and pushing it over one shoulder, he kissed her shoulder gently where it met her neck and she felt his teeth graze her skin for a few seconds, humming at the feel. With the sparse moments they could steal together, even the ones that threatened blood and violence were precious. "Niklaus." She warned gently before he could nip at her skin properly and turned in his arms.

"Caroline." He replied casually.

"We shouldn't even have met tonight; everyone is on their guard since Hayley was killed by the wolf. My mother is over there right now, consoling her and my father is meeting with the council to decide the best course of action." She told him in a saddened voice. That very morning, the village people had woken to find the body of Hayley lying in the grass that served as the main square and meeting place of town. Her blood still stained the ground now, even though the body was taken away to be burnt in a respectable funeral. Her mother and father vowed vengeance against the wolf. It had been years since the wolf had taken a human. "Tyler was most upset by Hayley's murder." She looked up at her lover and he stiffened at the name.

In the next second, he was kissing her almost too roughly, Caroline whimpered in pleasure at the feel of his lips against her and her back collided with the nearest wall. They met in the alleys between the last two houses before the forest. One belonged to Caroline's grandparents, who would be sound asleep by this point and the second was Klaus'. With the arrival of Henrik ten years ago, it was a crowded house for the children of Mikeal and Esther. By the time Henrik was three, it was unbearable for the family and it was decided that two of the Mikealson boys had had to leave the family home. Finn had left to marry Sage and Niklaus had elected to leave even though he was unmarried and remained single still after seven years.

"I don't want to hear _his_ unworthy name tonight." He demanded of the blonde as he encased her, one hand on the wall either side of her head. Caroline looked away in guilt at mentioning her fiancée in front of Klaus, knowing it hurt them both to know that one day soon they would be separated and Caroline would be wed to another. A match that her father had set up and approved even though the children had never spoken longer than a few minutes, despite their growing up alongside each other. She nodded in understanding and cupped his jaw, her skin against his stubble as she claimed his lips once more in a bruising kiss. After a few moments of their lips joined, Klaus pulled away and kissed her forehead. "You need to get inside. The wolf may still be around." He commented wryly, affectionately rearranging Caroline's cloak where it had become crooked in their tussle.

Caroline nodded and looked up at the near full moon, the wolf would not be at his strongest tonight but it was still not worth the risk. She kissed his lips once and reminded him that he was the one she loved, but didn't mention Tyler. It was then that she began back to her family home, trusting her lover to wait until she had disappeared into the main village before starting indoors.

* * *

It was decided after Hayley's death that Mikeal would personally interrogate everyone in the village until the wolf was found. He had volunteered himself for the task; after all, he had killed many a werewolf before and would be the quickest to smoke out the creature and kill it. A feeling of distrust settled among the village as the week of the wolf drew closer. A curfew of dusk was instilled that made it near impossible for Klaus and Caroline to meet for more than a few heated moments to exchange an 'I love you', and Caroline hoped the wolf would be found soon so normalcy could return. Until this point, the wolf had accepted the cattle over people and the village accepted the pact for their protection.

But now, it was war on the werewolf who had murdered Hayley and would murder again if allowed.

People would watch as you disappeared into the Mikealson house and wait until you emerged. If you left freely without an escort, you were innocent and everyone could breathe easily. On multiple occasions, Mikeal had decided to suspect someone of being the beast and they were clapped in irons coated in silver and put in a cage in the village square for the night to prove their innocence before the villagers. Each time, they would remain a man or woman or in one particular case, a child for the night and be released, free from all accusations. Caroline's interrogation was a series of questions, she was asked to drink a gulp of liquid wolfs bane and then sent on her way, no fuss. She was definitely no wolf, he murmured as Caroline left. Caroline had to agree, when it came to the food chain, she was less wolf and more a doe. And nature decided to prove it.

It had been days since the interrogations began when there was a second attack. Tyler had been escorting Caroline and Rebekah to their doors as the night drew to a close. The curfew was lifted to celebrate a marriage, and there had been dancing and music. Caroline's mother and father were still at the party but the Mikealsons had chosen not to go, save Kol and Rebekah, as well as other families who believed there was no cause of celebration when the beast tormented their village. It had been outside the Forbes house that the three of them had heard the growling approaching them slowly, stalking its prey before attacking. Rebekah wanted to scream at the shadowy black wolf that emerged from between the houses and snapped its jaw at Tyler. The beast was sizeable, bigger than any wolf Caroline had spotted, and would come to her chest if he stood civilly beside her. Its eyes were amber yellow with specks of blue green in them that echoed a memory of Caroline's.

Caroline remained oddly calm and covered Rebekah's body with her own, Tyler pulled out his dagger of silver to protect the ladies. The beast pounced either way and ripped into Tyler's skin, going for the heart with his claws. Caroline and Rebekah were knocked against the house in the process as Tyler cried in agony. "No!" She yelled at the wolf like she was scolding a naughty child. Caroline picked up a rock and held it, ready to throw. "Leave him be!"

It halted at her voice and its ears pricked up to hear her plea, turning to face her. The wolf did not show aggression to either blondes but put his nose to the ground. Caroline was shuddering in pure fear, scared that the wolf was lulling her into a false sense of security before pouncing. But she did not fear the creature, only the waiting. She dropped the rock to show she meant no harm to the creature who was unquestionably majestic and beautiful with its jet black fur and haunting, big, eyes. After a few moments, it howled and scampered off between the houses once more. Caroline waited until the wolf was gone to rush to Tyler, Rebekah was far more concerned than she but Caroline knew how to heal and called for help. She did not love Tyler, but would not see him die because of her fear that did not exist.

The attack shook the encampment and the rules became tighter. The next day, Caroline was sitting on a log around a fire with a ten year old Henrik Mikealson, playing a game he had devised where one chose an object and gave the first letter of the thing in question, and the other player would guess what it was. Tyler, all bandaged up and on the way to recovery, was talking with Matt some yards off, and paid no attention to his future bride, just the way she liked it between them. No intimacy. Henrik correctly guessed Caroline had chosen fire and began to think of a good challenge. "I spy something beginning with N!" He announced, bounding up and running away from the fireplace past Tyler and Matt. Caroline quickly guessed the little boy's choice when his big brother emerged from the Mikealson household and accepted the boy's embrace.

Caroline, who was supposed to be watching the boy whilst Mikeal went hunting with Elijah and Kol, got up and followed her charge. She tucked her blanket closer to her body as the two brothers talked amongst themselves; Klaus crouched to the baby's height. "Good evening, Niklaus." She greeted him in the typical, casual way she would in the eyes of others. Klaus nodded in return and eyed Tyler a couple metres from the trio, then looked back to the now closed door of the house he grew in. He regularly told Caroline it wasn't his home anymore and was as much a stranger's home to the Lockwood's lodgings. He would not cross the threshold unless he had to. This left Caroline wondering why he had been seen leaving if it was not for his interrogation, which was due any day soon as his father wanted to show that it could be anybody, even his sons.

"Caroline." His one word made Caroline know that they needed to speak. Alone.

"Henrik, can you please go tell my mother that I'll be eating with you and Rebekah tonight? After all, Rebekah is making that delicious stew." She suggested, the little boy nodded and ran off to deliver the message to the Forbes household. This left the two of them alone, and Klaus looked distracted. She wanted to pull him close and kiss the sadness from his face but couldn't. "Why were you visiting your mother?" She asked after a few seconds. Klaus gave the door a weary look before shaking his head and giving her a half smile.

"Nothing important. She just wanted to see me." He told her before starting towards his own home, wanting to be alone.

* * *

"She knows something of the wolf if she could call off its attack like she was its master." Mikeal decided as everyone stood around the campfire, his finger pointed at Caroline. Her mother stood to defend her daughter but Bill Forbes pulled her back down. Caroline ducked her head at the accusation of her control over the beast that had spread through the camp. Her eyes met Klaus as he lingered on the edge of the meeting, and he nodded reassuringly to her. "She is to be put into the cage for the night to draw the wolf out." He told the people before two men pounced on the girl, clapping her in irons and she cried out.

"Mikeal..I beg of you." Esther interjected, but he cut her off.

"Her virginal flesh and blood will draw it out into the open whilst the rest of the village stay on safe ground, the wolf cannot step on land which is surrounded by wolfs bane. When the wolf is in my sights, I will shoot a silver tipped arrow through its heart. This ends tonight and if Caroline has to been injured or die for our village's safety, so be it." He decided as Caroline was dragged away towards the terrifying cage in the centre of the village, plenty of space and the wolf would be able to reach its paw through and rip into her flesh. Caroline whimpered and began to sob into her cloak as they put her in the confined space, locking it behind her. She felt so exposed and in the open, everyone stared at her. She let her tears fall freely; she couldn't be any more humiliated. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Klaus and Rebekah talking like old conspirators as people began towards their homes. Caroline leaned against the bars of the cage and waited for night to fall.

* * *

She was just asleep when the lock was clicked open, and her eyes snapped open. Rebekah and Klaus were standing at the door of the cage; Klaus had a device in his hand that looked handy for picking locks such as the heavy one on Caroline's prison. "Caroline, come on, we don't have much time. We distracted them by making howling sounds in the west side of the village." Rebekah whispered into the air as Klaus stepped into the cage to help a tired and hungry Caroline up. With her lover's help, Caroline stood up slowly, pulling her weight up on the bars and leaning on Klaus as he helped her from the cage. Rebekah quickly picked the locks on her chains and they fell heavily onto the floor, finally free from her restraints.

"You came for me. You didn't let the wolf have me." She whispered to her friends. Klaus smiled softly and kissed her temple, unashamed by Rebekah's presence. Caroline rubbed her wrists now they were free of the heavy iron and accepted the kiss, she just wanted to be safe for the night on the wolfs bane ground Mikeal had set up for the village to camp until daybreak. She would explain her appearance on the ground quickly enough and hope they saw reason.

It was then that an arrow flew past the three of them, hitting Klaus in the flesh next to the hipbone, blood instantly oozing from the blood. He cried out and this time, it was Caroline supporting his weight as the two blondes and the lonely man began towards the safe ground. There were calls in the distance, Mikeal and Bill's voice among them as the three youths raced towards safety. Mikeal shouted into the air that they would be caught and punished for saving the dark witch, the daughter of the devil. Caroline flinched at the term used to describe her ability to communicate with the wolf's good side but focused on getting her lover to safety away from the threat of the werewolf so she could tend to his wounds. Punishment could come later.

Rebekah was let straight onto the ground by her mother but a sword came up the moment Klaus and Caroline tried to enter. "Mama, please! Nik is hurt! Mikeal's arrow wounded him whilst he was trying to save me, please let us cross over." Caroline pleaded with her mother who stood behind Esther. In this time of begging, the men defending the village had arrived and surrounded the couple so they could not escape nor cross onto the safe land. Mikeal put the tip of his knife against his son's throat and dug it into the skin. "How could you? He's your own son! He saved my life tonight and now, for that, he must suffer? If you want someone to blame, blame me!" Caroline exclaimed of the father.

"Caroline, step in." Mikeal ordered.

"Not without Klaus. He is no more the wolf than I am!" She bit back, her mother gasping at her disrespect. She should have really seen the knife coming against her skin too. Caroline defiantly kept her cool against the silver dagger, still supporting Klaus' injured body as she did so, blood flowing between Klaus' fingertips and onto Caroline's blue dress. Neither of them cared right now. "I'll step onto the land gladly once Klaus is safe and being tended to." Caroline announced.

"He cannot step onto that land, he is the wolf." Mikeal replied.

"Father!" Rebekah gasped.

"He is not! He walks in the moonlight right this very second and will step onto the safe ground like any mortal man! Move and you shall see." Caroline cried back. The elder man rolled his eyes but stepped back, mockingly gesturing for Caroline to step over the threshold. She did a second later and Klaus stumbled over the line too. There was no pain or backlash from his crossing the boundary of the makeshift camp and everyone chattered to each other at this proof laid before them. Esther instantly began tending to her son's wound, yanking the arrow from his skin and he cried out once more. Caroline settled on her knees beside him and shushed him, taking his hand and kissing the back. She didn't care about the looks she was getting, she just want him to be comforted. It was then that he began to speak.

"Caroline, love, I'm afraid that my 'father' guessed correctly, though your faith in me is astounding. The time has come for people to know that..I am indeed the wolf." There was a gasps all around and instantly the tip of a sword came to his throat again, ready to dispatch the man and beast. Esther warned the man holding the sword off with a sharp comment about interrupting her work. He backed off when Mikeal told him too and Esther began pressing a wet cloth into her son's wounds. He hissed in pain. Caroline was in shock, how? Klaus stood on wolfs bane land, the silver had not killed him, and he sat in the moonlight, basking in its beauty. The wolf could not live in her lover if those three things were true. Unless her eyes and mind were playing tricks on her heart tonight, she was sure they were.

"W-What?" Caroline stammered, she nearly dropped his hand but found the love in her heart to hold it longer.

"My mother called me to the house the other day and explained everything. She told me about my true parentage. Turns out that I am the son of a werewolf in the pack slaughtered by my father soon after my leaving his home, that's what woke my animal side. Mikeal was so obsessed with revenge on my mother's lover that he killed the entire pack so nature turned to me to continue the pack through my blood. As I have killed a man before, and the rest of my werewolf line is dispatched, there always needs to be a wolf to keep the bloodline alive." He explained. The villagers looked to each other, unsure of what to think of this new twist. "I can only step on this land today because of the magic she has bound to me. I will no longer turn into the wolf." Caroline was crying at this point and held his hand tightly in both of hers.

"Why did you kill Hayley? And attack Tyler?" She asked calmly. "Is that why you stopped when I asked you?"

"I said I would do anything you asked of me when you first returned my love, Caroline and I am honorable. And it is regrettable that the girl had to die, but Hayley got in the way, I was going for Tyler's heart the first time like I did that night. He was dallying with the girl and would continue to do so after you married him. Of course if I had killed him, then you wouldn't have been able to marry him. The wolf doesn't know about right or wrong, he just cares about his desires and own wants, a purely selfish creature. And my deepest desire is you." He explained. Caroline put his hand against her face and he winced once more at his mother's work, she ducked her head and wouldn't meet her husband's gaze. Mikeal pressed his own blade against Nik's chest. "Go on then, old man. Kill me." Klaus told him just as defiantly as Caroline had been moments before.

"No!" Caroline told them both. "If you want to kill Klaus, kill me too. I love him more than I could ever love Tyler, and he says himself that he will never be the wolf again. Spare his life, like he spared mine, Rebekah's and Tyler's. Like he spared everyone in this village over and over." She begged of the elder man, her eyes red and puffy from her tears. Esther sighed and stood from her work, which Caroline quickly took over. The elder woman put a hand on her husband's shoulder, and their eyes met softly. She was firm in her next demand.

"Let him live, Mikeal. He can do no harm now." Esther reasoned. His wife's words changed Mikeal's position quickly, warming to the idea of a defenceless, weak bastard son who would not be loved or accepted by the village after this moment. He sheathed his sword and ordered everyone to return to their homes.

The mystery of the wolf had been solved and all could sleep easy.

* * *

Like most would think, that was not the last part of the tale. Klaus healed quicker than any man and returned to his house to live in almost exile. Nobody talked to him, people hid in their houses as he past and he never went to eat with the village. Only Caroline and Rebekah were admitted into his house, and they brought him food and company. Caroline's father yelled at the blonde for hours after Tyler's father cancelled the engagement for Tyler's dignity. Caroline had admitted love for another in front of the entire village so she could rot in Hell for all the Lockwood family cared. But she didn't care about her father's yelling or the name she was called, she was with the one she loved now.

True to his word, Klaus no longer returned to his wolf form in the night but he mentioned a way of breaking the curse in passing. He wasn't interested in it however; he was enough of an outcast without the werewolf terrorizing the village. Caroline loved him either but her safety was more ensured if he remained bound. During the nights, he sometimes became lethargic and ill, sometimes he became angry and hot-headed. His blood had to react to the moon in some way or another, but it was a healthy alternative compared to the murderous beast.

Less than a month passed in peace before the week of the wolf came upon the village and everything broke down.

Caroline was tending to her father's horse when she heard a cry of pain from a woman, not in agony but in mourning. She looked towards the sound and settled the brush down on the side, poking her head out of the stables to see what the commotion was about. People were running to see what had happening and very quickly, cries of anger were taking over the village. Fires were started, swords were grabbed, and a riot was beginning. Caroline put one hand of her mouth as she listened to two women passing the stable door, hiding into the wooden walls so they wouldn't see her.

"He lied to us! The wolf has killed again! His own little brother, Henrik! This time, he shall not be spared!" A woman cursed as they raced towards the town square. Caroline quickly slipped out the stables and raced towards Klaus' house as fast as her feet would carry her.

"Nik! Open up this very instant! I need to speak with you!" She banged on the door, and he opened up instantly. She fell into his arms and began to sob, he shut the door behind her. He sat her on the chair next to the fire and shushed her softly, asking her to tell him what was happening. "Henrik has been killed, they say it was your fault and you lied about the curse to save your life." Caroline wept to the man holding her close in his arms. He nodded slowly, kissing her forehead and standing to look out the window. "You can see the fire, can't you? You have minutes to get out of here and never return, or they will kill you!" Caroline got up, frantically pushing him towards the back door that led straight into the forest.

"Not without you." He decided, taking her hands and kissing each one. Caroline was breathing heavily at this point and weeping at the loss of Henrik, and the imminent loss of her lover. He led her to his unmade cot and began to stuff essentials into a bag, ready to flee. "I told the village something different about the curse to appease them, Caroline. I am not completely bound of my powers, my wolf side only emerges at the full moon. I hoped to keep it secret from the village and live in peace for the remainder of my days. Another werewolf must have murdered my brother, but they will blame me anyway, no matter what I testify. They do not trust me now. Come with me, and we can start anew. One bite from me and you will be a wolf like me. We can be together and stronger than they ever were or can hope to be." He offered, bringing her hand to his lips once more. He kissed the palm, marking his chosen spot to bite her if she accepted his offer. "All you have to do is ask and we'll leave right now."

Caroline didn't think, she just nodded with tears streaming down her face and watched as Klaus enclosed his teeth over the flesh that sat between her palm and thumb. His teeth sank into it and she could feel her blood flowing into his mouth, and his bestial blood infecting hers. Already she felt stronger, and more connected to him. They were gone before the villagers could even beat down Klaus' door.

She didn't regret it a second of the rest of her life, after they fled their home and found another.

Two creatures of the night creating a legend.


End file.
